1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hydraulic control valve.
2. Description of the Background Art
A variety of hydraulic control valves are known in the prior art, examples of which are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,496,036; 3,472,281; 4,022,425 and 4,367,763. Hydraulic control valves have many uses, such as, for example, for controlling extension and retraction of cylinder rods in hydraulic log splitters.
Typically, control valves for hydraulic log splitters are manually controllable to apply hydraulic pressure to a cylinder for extension of the rod and splitting of the log. Where it has been desirable to provide for automatic retraction of the cylinder rod after a log has been split, prior art devices generally utilize electrical means such as solenoid switches to control the hydraulic valve and reverse the direction of the cylinder rod. However, the use of electrical parts in high moisture areas can prove problematic, and obviously a source of electricity must be available to operate such electrical devices.
There remains a need in the art for reliable and relatively inexpensive hydraulic control valves which are suitable for use with log splitters and capable of providing such splitters with automatic cylinder rod retraction capabilities without using electrical parts.